


Drinking Buddies

by Altman



Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Fluff, Mentions of Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-27 05:39:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8389363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altman/pseuds/Altman
Summary: Ashe and Thog haven't been able to spend much time together in the Ban village. So a night drinking together is just the thing they need.Literally pointless fluff.





	

Ashe was exhausted. There was no other way to put it. The ache of bone deep weariness had become all too familiar during her time in the Ban village… From learning the language with Iggy, to the occasional sparing session with Horaven (and sometimes the Bat-masked Ban), her personal time had been severely neglected.  
It didn’t help that the only bar in town was somehow staffed by Old Inny. She had little inclination to put up with Old Inny’s senility for alcohol.  
With the sun beginning to kiss the horizon, Ashe let out a sigh. _Where am I going to get a drink in this place?_  
As if to answer her question, a commotion outside of a house caught her attention. _I wonder what’s going on…_  
As Ashe drew closer to a crowd of Ban that was growing by the second, the indistinct noise grew clearer, and she recognized Thog’s raised voice. _Gods know, I’ve heard it often enough._  
“I can’t deal with you when you’re like this!” A pause, and then, “Oh yeah, real mature.” Again, silence. “You know what, fuck you too!” Parting aside the crowd, Thog stalked forward, and Ashe caught a flash of pure Menace. _I guess that solves the question of who he was arguing with._  
She stepped forward, and raised a hand, “Hey, Thog. Rough day?”  
“Ashe, you don’t know the half of it. That bat-masked jerk has been pissed at me about something all day, and won’t tell me what the fuck I did…” His shoulders slumped as he fell into step beside Ashe.  
“Sounds like you need a drink.” Ashe said, gently elbowing him in the side.  
“I need several…” They lapsed into a companionable silence that suited the quiet village and their footsteps lead them Thog’s door. “Speaking of drinks, Ashe, I… uh, liberated a nice vintage from Old Inny and I was wondering if you’d like to… share it with me…” Thog looked at the ground and fidgeted nervously.  
“That’s really nice of you, Thog, but you’d just be wasting your ‘vintage’… I can’t get drunk, remember?”  
“Ashe, there’s more to drinking than just ‘getting drunk’. Sometimes, it’s about sharing a moment with friends, or remembering those we’ve lost.”  
“OK, Thog, but I’m warning you, if you do anything embarrassing, I will remember.”

Entering Thog’s temporary dwelling, Ashe was struck by a bolt of nostalgia. “Hey, Thog, do you remember the last time we got drinks together? Back at Meadshire?”  
“Ashe, that period of my life was a constant haze of regret and booze. You’re gonna have to be more specific.”  
Getting comfortable on the low sofa (It was nice, and fit the room very well. Whichever Ban Thog had kicked out of here clearly had good taste) Ashe spoke again, “Well, it was shortly after the disappearances started, but before things got too bad. The tavern had closed up early, and we scrounged up a barrel that wasn’t all paint thinner. It actually looked like ale. Or at least, the idea of ale.”  
“Oh, fuck, I completely forgot about that!” Thog stopped rummaging through a drawer, and turned around, a bottle in his hand, “We were shit-talking everything in Meadshire!”  
“Haha, yeah!” Ashe’s face brightened at the memory. It was one of her only non-depressing ones from her time there.  
“Huh. Interesting…” Thog was peering quizzically at Ashe, one eye brow raised slightly.  
“What is it? Do I have something on my face?” Frantically scrubbing at her cheeks, Ashe could feel herself beginning to blush. _It’s not my fault Xin is always in the hot springs!_  
“What? Nah, it’s just… That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile in a while. Not to mention how long it’s been since you’ve laughed like that.”  
Thinking about it, Ashe realized she had been pretty serious lately. _I guess I’ve been so busy trying to figure out what I am, I forgot to be myself…_ “Well, thanks for pointing that one out Thog. I’ll keep that in mind…”  
“It wasn’t a rebuke, Ashe. Unlike some of our friends-” With a cough that sounded suspiciously the name “Inien”, Thog set the bottle and two small glasses on the table “-I can observe without criticizing. Besides, you aren’t someone who needs to smile to…” Thog’s voice abruptly cut off.  
“Needs to smile to what, Thog?” Ashe crossed her arms, her brow creasing.  
“Ugh, I’ll tell you later, can we just start drinking already?” Thog said, as he poured two glasses. Picking them up, he offered one to Ashe.  
“Fine, but I consider that a promise. I expect an explanation.”  
“And you’ll get one. Don’t sweat it.” Raising his glass, he proclaimed “To absent friends, I guess.” The alcohol swiftly disappeared down his throat.  
“To absent friends.” Ashe echoed, following suit. “Woah, that’s some strong stuff! I think I almost felt something.”

_4 drinks…_  
“Well, I don’t know how Markus keeps his hair so shiny.” Ashe accompanied her statement with a burst of laughter. “I’ve asked, but he just throws a hand-full of glitter into the air and walks away.”  
“Is that so… No wonder the bar floor’s always covered with the stuff. I’ll have to have a talk with him sometime…” Thog frowned slightly, “But that’s a worry for later. Pour me another drink, would you?”

_7 drinks…_  
“… and that, Asheling, is why cutlery is so important in Alarani culture.” Thog was not inebriated enough to start slurring his words, but it was a close thing. His shoulders had begun to slump, and his hand shook slightly as he refilled their glasses.  
“Interesting. Is that why the bar doesn’t have any?”  
“Shut up and drink.”

_11 drinks…_  
“So there I was, elbow deep in a vat of magic potion, Gregor bleeding out on a table-’ Ashe gestured wildly as she recounted the tale of their time under contract in Altreia “-and for all I knew, Markus was being torn to shreds by rabid golems outside.”  
“Well, I’m… sorry you had to go through that…” The drinks were clearly catching up to Thog, as he chose his words extremely carefully. “I wish I had done more…”  
“Thog, you were responsible for securing us our freedom. You’ve more than made up for it.”  
“I guess, but I still feel bad…”  
“Would another drink help?”

_16 drinks…_  
The bottle fell to the table, empty. Thog was really out of it, reclining on the couch right next to Ashe. She knew she wasn’t drunk, but Thog’s exhaustion was contagious… I _don’t even want to get up._ Though she had to admit, there was something comforting about his familiar presence beside her. Leaning her head onto his shoulder, she felt herself beginning to drift off to sleep. Right before she slipped away completely, Ashe heard a voice, quiet and far away.  
“You aren’t someone who needs to smile to be beautiful, Asheling.” She felt an arm wrap around her shoulder and pull her close. “I hope you know that.”  
“Thank you, Thog. For everything.” Ashe mumbled, returning his hug, as she felt her consciousness slip away.


End file.
